FROTOX: A New Alternative To Botox Claims To Freeze Away Wrinkles

There's a new plastic surgery treatment on the market that the beauty world is calling the next Botox, or "Frotox."

The treatment, called iovera, is a toxin-free wrinkle treatment currently available in Europe that takes 15 minutes and gives patients "cold shots to each temple," according to The Daily Mail.

The way it works is through something called "Focused Cold Therapy:" Highly pressurized liquid nitrous oxide travels down an extremely thin, closed-end needle. At the needle tip, it changes into gaseous form which then draws in heat energy from the surrounding tissue to form a precise zone of cold.

Essentially, it freezes the nerves that control the muscles that cause wrinkles for up to four months.

Patients experience pressure rather than cold or pain, according to The Daily Mail, and the procedure is so precise it can target specific nerves, which means facial muscles can still form expressions after the procedure.

"Iovera is the world's first toxin-free anti-wrinkle treatment," Dr. Vincent Wond, who performs "Frotox" treatments at his UK practice, told The Daily Mail. "It's a unique stand-alone treatment in its own right and shouldn't be compared side-by-side with Botox or any botulinum toxins. Instead, we should think of it as an additional option available to people, especially those who do not want botulinum toxin injections or cannot have them due to medical reasons."

Others aren't as confident in the new procedure, claiming it's less predictable than Botox since doctors may not know which nerve will deliver the desired result.

"Frotox" currently costs €300 a session, or roughly $390 at today's conversion rates, and needs to be repeated every 3-4 months.

To put that in perspective, Botox typically costs $360-$770 a session depending on how many areas are injected, and needs to be repeated every 3-4 months as well.

The drug was undergoing clinical trials in the U.S. this fall, Boston's WCVB.com reported.